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JAPAN

Oct 16, 1998

Hyogo quake-housing tenants starve to victory

Staff writerKOBE -- A four-day hunger strike against Hyogo Prefecture's public housing policy helped survivors of the 1995 Kobe earthquake still living in temporary housing score a major victory recently when prefectural officials agreed to the protesters' major demands."Finally, officials realized they could not ignore those who are still in temporary housing," said Sojiro Kawamura, leader of a local activist group and one of the hunger strikers, following the prefecture's announcement last week.Under the agreement, Hyogo Prefecture will individually consider the cases of those still in temporary housing who wish to move into prefecture-operated public housing units here that are expected to become vacant within the next 18 months. Currently, all public housing units within the city are full.Those waiting for such housing to become available will also be provided with financial assistance to move into privately owned apartments if they are judged to be in need.This could amount to about 60,000 yen per household for moving expenses, and rent of 70,000 yen per month for up to two years, prefecture officials said.Previously, only quake survivors who had already moved into public housing were eligible for financial aid, and the prefecture had refused to consider individual requests, saying the sheer number of victims and the limited supply of public housing made responding to such requests impossible.Last week's hunger strike was the result of a series of events that began in May, when the prefecture decided to provide financial assistance to quake survivors moving out of temporary housing units and into public housing. This was done partially in an effort to get the temporary dwellings vacated. Gov. Toshitami Kaihara had originally hoped to close the units by the end of last month.For the past three years, local officials and quake survivors have been at odds over the issue. To select those eligible for public housing, the prefecture instituted what Kawamura described as an "unfair and heavy-handed" lottery system, with the winners having no say in where they would be living.As a result, many temporary housing residents refused to enter the lottery, afraid that friendships and communities formed in the temporary housing units would be broken up.For those who entered the lottery, it has been a slow process, because many public housing units have not yet been built. When the fifth lottery for prefectural housing was held in July, only 2,594 out of 4,687 participating households won.There are still an estimated 7,500 households living in temporary dwellings. Kobe city and Hyogo prefectural officials estimate that about 20,000 people, both in and out of Hyogo, still live in temporary housing.No headway was made during a series of meetings held over the summer between officials and civic groups to discuss the problem, and the prefecture announced in mid-September that financial assistance to those still residing in temporary housing would be discussed only after payments to households that had already moved out were completed in November.At that point, Kawamura said he decided to increase pressure on the prefecture and Kaihara, who faces re-election on Oct. 25, by staging the hunger strike. About 30 people participated, setting up tents and tables in front of the prefectural headquarters in downtown Kobe.The prefecture was taken by surprise. Early in the morning of Oct. 5, two days after the strike began, about 40 officials massed in front of the building. Several shouted at the protesters to leave. Kawamura said at one point an official attempted to push aside a protester, a charge the prefecture denies. No arrests were made and no injuries occurred.Two days later, Kawamura and other protesters received promises of assistance and agreed to call off the hunger strike.Kawamura said he is happy with the decision, but still wants the prefecture to consult with those living in the temporary housing units."Prefectural officials originally said they could not honor the request for communities formed in temporary housing to be moved together into public housing. Many public housing units are located far away from schools, hospitals and workplaces. Those in temporary housing, especially the elderly, rely on their neighbors," Kawamura said."We need a public housing policy that involves the public, not just the bureaucrats," he said.

JAPAN

Oct 6, 1998

Osaka faces uphill battle to host G-8

Staff writerOSAKA -- A comparative lack of local governmental interest, cool relations between the mayor and governor, and an uninspired promotional campaign have greatly dimmed Osaka's bid to host the Group of Eight summit in 2000, senior prefectural officials said recently.Osaka is one of eight cities nationwide competing to host the summit of the Group of Seven industrialized countries and Russia in 2000. Miyazaki, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Sapporo, Yokohama, Chiba, and Nago, Okinawa, also are in the running. The host city will probably be selected at the end of the year or the beginning of next year.Although a G-8 summit would be held primarily within Osaka city limits, the bid is being pushed more by Gov. "Knock" Yokoyama and those within the prefectural bureaucracy who are handling the bid and its promotional efforts in cooperation with the city of Osaka.Cooperation, however, may not be the right word. "We're trying very hard to bring the summit to Osaka. But city officials don't seem to be as interested in the G-8 as they are in the Olympics," said one prefectural official in the public relations department.Osaka Mayor Takafumi Isomura appears to be less than enthusiastic as well, certainly less than the city was in its efforts to win the 2008 Olympics. "Gov. Yokoyama is the one who's really pushing for the summit. We've already hosted APEC (the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum) and we've said we feel ready to host the G-8 at any time," the mayor said in response to a question about Osaka's chances.Prefecture officials say cool relations between Yokoyama and Isomura aren't helping matters. Both men entered office following scandals involving their predecessors, and both were seen as "clean" candidates. But Yokoyama jumped into the 1995 governor's race as an independent candidate at the very last minute, while Isomura was selected by Liberal Democratic Party mandarins.Due to differences in approach and personality, such as Isomura's more cool demeanor and Yokoyama's more open one, the two men are barely speaking to each other, city and prefectural bureaucrats say.The governor's populist appeal and high personal approval rating, which stands at about 65 percent despite the prefecture's financial crisis, also has irked the mayor, a party politician with no popular base of support, prefectural officials claim.

JAPAN

Sep 29, 1998

Social tyranny keeps Japan far from U.N. rights ideals: expert

JAPAN

Sep 3, 1998

High costs, low demand stifling Kansai airport growth

JAPAN

Aug 31, 1998

Calls rise for Kobe airport plebiscite

JAPAN

Aug 28, 1998

Foreign teachers push for equitable pensions

JAPAN

Jul 3, 1998

Osaka's Olympic bid raises issues of debt, toxins

JAPAN

Jun 29, 1998

Australian mine protests threaten Kansai uranium supply

JAPAN

Jun 22, 1998

U.S. demands fair chance to bid for Kansai airport work

JAPAN

Jun 4, 1998

Newspapers still have key role to play in high-tech age

JAPAN

Jun 3, 1998

Japan-U.S. societies say cultural assimilation top priority

JAPAN

Jun 2, 1998

Newspapers not doomed by Internet, Murdoch assures

JAPAN

Jun 1, 1998

Papers urged to compete with new strategies as Internet expands

and AKEMI NAKAMURA

JAPAN

May 14, 1998

Japan bashing, passing progresses to 'fixing'

JAPAN

Apr 29, 1998

Watchdog demands outside assessment of Universal Studios site

JAPAN

Apr 24, 1998

Universal Studios impact survey blasted as 'false'

JAPAN

Apr 22, 1998

Kobe airport opponents call for plebiscite

JAPAN

Apr 9, 1998

Kansai execs still tout affinity with Asia

JAPAN

Apr 6, 1998

Citizens, LDP may forge compromise on disaster relief bill

JAPAN

Mar 20, 1998

Hong Kong denies plan for Olympics

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